Local

A Springfield family recently received a cold check - from the state government.

Carolyn and Steven Hash raise four grandchildren.
According to Carolyn, the parents pay child support through the child support office.
Every once in a while, Carolyn said they receive a small check for an overage. Recently, they got a check for $7.68 from the state government for a child support overage.

A regular scheduled fiscal court meeting took place Monday morning. The court decided to move forward in the process of constructing a new bridge on Tick Creek Road.

Last month the bridge weight-limit was dropped from nine tons to three tons due to structural problems.
The bridge was closed during heavy rains by the state, but reopened a few days later.
The bridge closure caused headaches for local traffic, sending some motorists 25 minutes out of their way from their normal routes.

Several incidents are currently under investigation by Springfield City Police and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

A caller reported to Springfield City Police at 4:16 p.m. on Dec. 6 that shots were fired at 128 Domus Court in Springfield. Police reported no evidence to indicate any person or object was struck by the gunfire.
Anyone with information regarding the shooting is encouraged to contact Springfield City Police at (859) 336-5450. Callers can remain anonymous.

School board members were greeted with unpleasant news on Wednesday during a work session.

The heating and cooling unit in the gym at Washington County High School had been not working well, and it looked like a new system was needed. The heating situation has been declared an emergency, which should expedite the process of replacing the units.

The scene at Virginia Tech University last week was all too familiar to those who were with the college at the time of the 2007 shooting that claimed 33 lives.

On Thursday, a police officer was shot and killed during a routine stop on campus. The gunman later took his own life in a nearby parking lot. There are several Virginia Tech students and faculty members that have ties to Washington County, and some of them recalled how Thursday was a reminder of the tragedy that occurred on April 16, 2007.

A New Haven man recently pleaded guilty during the mediation process to two counts of sexual abuse that occurred in Washington County.

Bobby Lee Hudson was originally charged with 244 counts of sex abuse in the first degree.
Hudson pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual abuse of a child under 12 years of age (Class C felony) during a mediation with the Commonwealth of Kentucky on Dec. 2 in Washington County.

By the first day of the new year, the majority of the St. Catharine campus could be annexed into the city of Springfield.

“I think the best way to put it is, it’s just going to be a win-win for everybody,” Laurie Smith, city administrator, said after the regular scheduled Springfield city council meeting on Monday at City Hall.
The St. Catharine farm would be excluded from annexation, as the land belongs to an agricultural district, as designated by the USDA, which means it legally can’t become part of an incorporated city.

Students from St. Catharine College were in the holiday spirit this past weekend. For the third year, Dr. Dave Donathan’s Senior Seminar class partnered with Springfield Main Street Renaissance to help with the Heart of Kentucky Holiday Festival, a joint seasonal celebration between Springfield and Lebanon.

ONGOING EVENTS
WC Heartland Youth Coalition
The Washington County Heartland Youth Coalition RISE Youth are collecting items for the residents of the Springfield Nursing and Rehab Home and the residents of Sansbury Nursing Facility.